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Angels left fielder Vernon Wells leaves game because of hamstring injury

March 23, 2011 | 2:51
pm

Angels left fielder Vernon Wells was pulled from Wednesday's exhibition game against the San Francisco Giants after three innings because of tightness in his left hamstring. The move was made for precautionary reasons, the team announced, and the injury is not believed to be serious.

"If this was a regular-season game I would have kept going, but there's no sense pushing it," Wells said. "I've had these things before. We'll see how it feels tomorrow, but it's nothing to worry about."

Wells, who hit 31 home runs for the Toronto Blue Jays last season, flied to left field in his first at-bat and doubled to left field in his second at-bat. He said the hamstring tightened as he rounded first on the double.

With slugging first baseman Kendrys Morales starting the season on the disabled list as he recovers from a broken leg, the Angels can't afford another injury to a middle-of-the-order hitter, but Wells is confident he will return to the lineup within a day or two.

Photo: Vernon Wells #10 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim bats against the San Diego Padres during the spring training game at Peoria Stadium on March 15, 2011. Credit: Christian Petersen / Getty Images